Fourteen of fifteen anterior dislocations of the hip, all fifteen being
of the obturator variety, were treated initially by closed reduction. In
thirteen of the patients fractures of the femoral head were noted, four
being transchondral and nine of the indentation type. The fractures of the
femoral head were definitely related to the outcome. Seven of the thirteen
patients with fractures had fair or poor results, including all four with
transchondral fractures and three of the six patients with indentation
fractures that were more than four millimeters deep. Roentgenographic
evidence of degenerative joint disease was present in ten of the thirteen
patients with femoral-head fractures. The two patients without fracture had
excellent results.